Pet Photos by Denise

It was a cloudy day and the pool water was unkindly cold.  Drenched from his first dive, shivering, teeth chattering, Franco hoped for the sun to come out from behind the clouds.  In a terrycloth cocoon, he waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Then finally, the sun peeked through the clouds and showed off its bright, warm face.  Like Superman, (his all-time favorite superhero whose powers apparently get recharged by the Earth’s yellow sun), Franco’s “strength” instantly returned.  He leaped up and out of his towel yelling, “POWWWERRR!!!” (at which time I grabbed my point-and-shoot and snapped this pic) then quickly, without a second thought, jumped back in the water.

The scenario was… well… sort of like LIFE!  The freezing pool waters are like the harsh circumstances we face at times.  More often than not, we want so much to dive in and swim, to live life to its fullest.  But the thought of hurting again, or failing again, keeps us from doing it.  So we choose to stay safe, stay away, stay dry.  Pretty soon our protective barriers, our shields, and our comfort zones, cease to protect, to shield or to comfort.  Instead they begin to hinder us from growing and changing, and from swimming in the fullness of God’s amazing plans and purposes.

What if we always saw and believed as purely as Franco did that day about the power of the sun and what it can do.  Better yet, what if we saw and believed that way about the power of the Son and what He has already done! What if we always had that child-like faith to see and and believe that God is with us, and that we can do all things through Him who gives us strength.

In 2010, I was faced with the daunting task of having to make some crucial life-changing decisions – in my marriage and family life, in my career, and most importantly, in my whole attitude towards God.  The process was in no way easy. It was painful, humbling, and sometimes scary! But God was gracious, and IS gracious, enabling me to see Him at work in me and around me, and enabling me to believe that His strength is made perfect in my weakness, and that with Him, all things are possible.

The pool water temperature that afternoon didn’t rise.  It didn’t warm up at all.  I dove in maybe 15 minutes after Franco did and it was still freezing!  But for Franco, the sunshine on his face made all the difference.   As far as he was concerned, he could overcome anything!

Now THAT is what I want for myself this new year.  I want to start living more.  I want to embrace God’s plans and His ways with more faith than ever before… His sufficient grace, His smiling face, making all the difference.

This is my prayer, and I hope it will be yours too! Have an awesome new year!

Love,

Denise

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”

Numbers 6:24-26